S-Clarke

I think we huffed and puffed to be honest, too slow with the ball, too passive off the ball. Of course we had some chances, but overall I'd say that Stoke 100% deserved that win. They carried a genuine threat in transition whereas we just didn't move it quick enough. Low blocks like that need width and quick movement of the ball in between the lines, it's the only way you get around it - especially 10 men, stretching the game wins it. Sadly our options for Stretching the game were an aging Fraser and a full back in Manning. It's a bit of a mess right now.

Another game where you come away thinking ''Should he have saved that?'' - the answer is probably yes.

I think the majority of success boils down to having good players, but obviously as a manager they need something about them to fully execute it - but better players can hide a managers flaws IMO. I'm not a fan of Martin at all, so he would probably overcomplicate it with better players.. But basically to the original point, I think it is completely and utterly ludicrous that people are actually questioning or have doubts around Still at this stage, it's not like we're in November or December - it's August. It's utter nuts in my mind. It feels like as a fanbase we've been conditioned to just change the manager when things aren't going how we want, but I think we just need to take a step back and look at the player available to Still, which funnily enough is the same trash that has been failing us under previous managers too. It's a horrible bunch.

If we ever get to a position of watching BBD and Stewart up top as a pair, I will gouge my eyes out. Stuart and BBD being included as options shows how much we've regressed tbh. And they were our PL options too, what on earth.

They're arrogant, sticking with players as they're projects. They need time etc. We're in a position now, totally different from last time out, where we are an incredibly weaker side - so we need ready made players who can start for us tomorrow. As a squad, we are now in a position in this league where players like Bazunu will harm our league placing and aspirations because we don't have the quality at the top end to bail them out.

Sadly it's what we've all said. It's not a clanger, but it's a shot an easily capable GK would have got something on. Again, you're left thinking 'should he have saved it?' after a game. It's the only consistent factor in the 3 years of watching him. Not much more we can say about him really. The club still seem to think he'll get better and that he's fine, which is the sort of naivety, in such a crucial position, that will send us tumbling down the league without better players to rescue him at the top end. Ignoring the availability of Johannsen for £1m to back him was utter 'woke' nonsense.

At the end of the day, the success of any manager boils down to one thing really. The quality of the player he has available to him. Put Koeman, Poch, Adkins in charge of this squad at this moment of time and they'd equally struggle to get a consistent tune out of them. If a manager has crap players, he will ultimately get crap results. Russell Martin was wedded to his approach with inferior players, but if you put him into the Man City system with players who 'play his way', then he'd probably get success. It's as simple as that really. We can keep cycling through managers such as Rusk, Juric, Will Still if we want, but the same consistent factor remains - we're still playing Bazunu in goal, Jack Stephens at CB and Adam Armstrong up front. As a club we keep trying to repeat the known flaws of the past, somehow expecting different results. The squad needs major major work before next week. I don't know if we'll get it that soon, as this may take a few windows to sort.

The rep Stewart has got is so odd. He played 13 games at this level for Sunderland, that's it. A purple patch does not equate to someone being quality at this level. The way he's viewed by fans and pundits is odd, everyone seems to class him as this proven Champ striker. He is anything but.

Just to avoid re-writing history slightly, and proof that everyone needs time, when Robins first went in at Stoke he struggled. Their fans were questioning him and believed he was the wrong choice. But people need time. And still, it's only 3 games so who knows who will be sat where in May.

Piss off, seriously. Go and support your own team you weirdo.

Still a better profile of player than we have available to us today though, you'd have to say.

Your dugouts need a clean.

Archer, BBD are much, much, much less quality than we had in that season. Stewart too. BBD isn't really a footballer as far as I'm aware, he's not proven it yet. I'd 110% categorically say that our squad at this stage in the last Champ season was stronger than the one we have today. I included Tella because he'd contributed two goals before he left, two of which were match winners - so he was important, even for the small period.

They were signed around now though, THB was an out of the blue deadline day signing. The best additions will come between now and next Monday, these will be the players which make or break the season. We started with a much higher base last season with Tella contributing, and Adams in the squad etc - but not so lucky this year.

Transfer Deadline days are made for us to be disappointed, so I'm fully prepped.

I don't think we can play Downes and Charles together, it's one or the other for me. I'd plump for Charles as he has a bit more mobility, but having them both in there keeps the game slow and there's a lack of drive. Like you say, Fernandes was the only one really doing it, but he was coming quite deep to get the ball. He's not a 10 as some are suggesting, so if we get our 10, go to a flat back 4, I'd stick Fernandes alongside Charles (if he stays that is), with a 10 in front of them and two wide players either side.

It's mental really when you think about it. We used promotion to regress our squad. Bizarre.

3 is my guess. 4 if we get lucky. Winger, 10 and a GK. Maybe another bonus winger if we get lucky.

Compared to our last squad in the Championship, we are so far apart quality wise it's untrue. I don't know why people say we're stronger. We had Adams, Stu Armstrong, Aribo, KWP, Brooks, Tella (for a part of August), Charly, Sullemana. I class KWP as an attacker as he was crucial in everything we did down the right side. Compare that to our offerings now, OK Suelamana was shit, but even so it's light years behind. Somehow we've got to bring our level up to that.

Usually these days it's a % of the profit they sell him for in the future, I believe it's based on the guaranteed fee. If we take the fee here to be 42m, then being sold in the future for £72m would pocket us around 6-7m on the % of profit.

I don't see it being that much. 3-4 tops, no more than that incoming. I can see BBD, Edozie, Taylor, Dibling, ABK, Aribo & Suguwara out of the door. We'll lose more than we bring in simply because we have to get the squad size to a manageable level, but they need to make sure those that are coming in are better than the collective leaving. (Shouldn't be too hard if we consider BBD/Edozie/ABK/Suguwara)

Haven't we totally overhauled it this year though? Sacked the lot of them, Spors brought in his own people. The contract renewal for Stephens and the two project signings do concern me though. But let's see where we sit in a week, then we'll know for sure what the score is. (Southampton-Nill probably)

If you're referring to Onuachu, that's stretching it a bit. He only got 4 goals. We hardly scored any goals last year.

That Ings sale always annoyed me. The club were internally patting themselves on the back for weeks and weeks by being proud of the fee they got from Villa for him. Yeah, it was a good fee and probably above his market value at that point - but we didn't reinvest the fee in a replacement, so what's the point of being excited by getting £30-35m if it's not reinvested. The club tried to be clever and put down 12-15m on Adam Armstrong to try to replace him.

I wasn't too sure why Solak came out and said we wouldn't use it this time out, but we clearly will as that's where the best value is. (certainly in terms of proven quality). Still came today and said he's 100% open to loans, so I'm sure that's what we'll see.